The Vision of an Unknown Netizen

One of the most important lessons you can learn on your road to success is that failure is not a final destination, but rather a place you pass through on your way to achieving your goals. Remember these points:
1. There is only one road to Success City

2. The road to Success City passes through Failureville

3. People are so afraid of driving through Failureville and they never begin their journey. So what does this mean in the real world?

It means that failure is not the opposite of success as many people assume; on the contrary, failure is an important part of achieving success. In fact, it is usually through the process of trying and failing that we learn the lessons we need, in
order to ultimately achieve our goals in life.

My favourite quote regarding the relationship between failure and success comes from the legendary basketball player Michael Jordan: “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to
take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”
When you understand the fact that success lies on the other side of failure you will be much better prepared for the journey that leads to achieving your most important life goals.

About The Author

Fr. Joe Eruppakkatt SSP is a Catholic priest of the Society of St Paul. He has been engaged in media activities for several years as General Editor of ST PAULS Mumbai. He believes in God's gift of beauty and goodness in every human being, in nature and in every religious tradition, and shares his views and opinions with others.

Related Articles

One of the most important lessons you can learn on your road to success is that failure is not a final destination, but rather a place you pass through on your way to achieving your goals. Remember these points:
1. There is only one road to Success City

2. The road to Success City passes through Failureville

3. People are so afraid of driving through Failureville and they never begin their journey. So what does this mean in the real world?

It means that failure is not the opposite of success as many people assume; on the contrary, failure is an important part of achieving success. In fact, it is usually through the process of trying and failing that we learn the lessons we need, in
order to ultimately achieve our goals in life.

My favourite quote regarding the relationship between failure and success comes from the legendary basketball player Michael Jordan: “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times I’ve been trusted to
take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”
When you understand the fact that success lies on the other side of failure you will be much better prepared for the journey that leads to achieving your most important life goals.

Man cannot live on earth without a body and body is a spacio – temporal entity. That is why the holy Bible says that man is in need of bread to sustain his body and he also needs something more than that. Anything in space and time is changing. Hence man is an ever changing entity. Everything in him including his body, mind and something more than them are changing.

Though everyone knows that there is change, it is not that much easy to know how does change occurs and how it can be known. Change is always known in relation to something that remains at least relatively unchanging. For example, imagine of a wrist watch in which the dial as well as the needle are in a perpetual changing mode having the same velocity or not. It is not possible to know change and hence no time can be known using such a wrist watch. That is, changing time can be known ‘if and only if’ the dial remains stationary and the needles are on move. The moving needle is a ladder that leads us to the stationary dial and the dial indicates time. So what is known is not the moving needle but the stationary dial. Therefore, it has been argued that change is a ladder that takes us to the unchanging state of experience. That is, the space time entity which is always in a changing mode had been a ladder to something that is not changing. That something which is free from change is known as ‘Satya’ or ‘truth’. It is the ‘truth’ that is known through the phenomenon. Hence, it has been argued that every phenomenon in space and time is a sign that testifies the unchanging truth.

The ever changing phenomenon is ‘Agama’ (changing), which is ladder to ‘Nigama’ (unchanging). The Agama is the whole world and ‘Nigama’ is the basis of the world. The Vedic texts expressed in lingual form is ‘Agama’ and the basis to be experienced to it is ‘Nigama’.

A Chinese proverb states, “Behind an able man there are always other able men”.

The truth is that team work is at the heart of great achievement. If you want to reach your potential or strive for the seemingly
impossible, you need to become a team player. It may be a cliché’, but it is nonetheless true: Individuals play the game but teams win championships. If you lead a team, then you must convince your teammates to sacrifice for the good of the group. The first quality of a relational leader is the ability to understand how people think and feel. As you work with others, recognise that all people, whether leaders or followers, have something in common. Recognizing these truths a leader must still be able to treat people as individuals. The ability to look at each person, understand and connect with him is a major factor in relational success.

The leader need to figure out which button to push with each individual person on his team. One person will respond well to being challenged; another will want to be nurtured, another will need frequent follow-up. One of the best way to inspire others and make them feel good is to show them who they could be. Years ago, a manager of the New York Yankees wanted rookie players to know what a privilege it was to play for the team. He used to tell, “Boys, it’s an honour just to put on the New York pinstripes. So when you put them on, play like world champions. Play like Yankees. Play proud.” When you give someone a reputation to uphold, you give him something good to shoot for. It’s putting something that was beyond his reach but within his grasp. Why is that important? Because people will go farther than they thought they could when someone they respect tells them they can.

A well known organist was performing a concert on the huge, antique organ in the local church. The bellows were hand-pumped by a boy who was behind a screen, unseen by the audience. The audience was thrilled by the organist ability at the keyboard of the old instrument. After taking his ovation, the musician walked triumphantly in to a side passageway. As he passed the boy he heard him say,” We played well as a team, didn’t we sir?”

The organist haughtily replied,” And what do you mean, ‘we’? After the intermission, the organist returned to his seat at the
impressive five-keyboard and began to play. But nothing happened; not a sound was heard. Then the organist heard a youthful voice whisper from behind the screen, ‘Say, mister, now do you know what ‘we’ means?”

One sunny summer day four rabbis are having a discussion on some part of the Torah. Three agree on one explanation but the fourth one differs. Being tired of this conversation he raises his arms and says, “God, give me a sign to prove that I’m right!”

Suddenly, thunder clouds appear out of nowhere and cover the sky. The three other rabbis think for a while and say, “Nah, that’s just a coincidence”

So, the dissenting rabbi raises his hands again and screams, “God, please give these thickheads more proof that I’m right!”

Suddenly, a thunderbolt strikes a tree just in front of them but three rabbis say, “Well, there’s always lightning coming with thunder, it still must be a coincidence.”

So, the rabbi raises his hands for the third time and says, “Oh, God, they are so stupid but you know I’m right, please give them a sign even they would understand.”

Suddenly, a hole appears in the clouds right above them, bright light comes through it on to the ground and a thunder like voice from above says, “HE IS RIGHT!”

The other rabbis think for a while and then say, “Well, still it’s three against two…”

Comment: When one does not have an open mind, no amount of signs and proofs can help. He is doomed with his tunnel vision.

I remember an incident in early 1979 when I was posted as Additional District Magistrate at Meerut. Once the Commissioner of
the Division visited the district and I accompanied him on his tour. The visit went off very well and he was quite happy with the work done. In the evening, we were returning in the same car on our way to Meerut. The Commissioner was a very good man and the success of the tour gave me some courage to speak frankly during the journey. At that time I was a young officer with only three years of service and was unaware of many realities of public administration. However, I was aware of the interference of vested interests in administration, as a result of which most officers were not able to work fearlessly. So I asked him certain questions about this aspect, curious to know whether it was possible for an honest and sincere civil servant to work fearlessly despite outside pressure. The answer was, naturally, not that simple but he said that though it was definitely possible to work fearlessly it required a lot of wisdom and other virtues like ability and perceptiveness, for an honest and sincere civil servant to reach that stage. The matter ended there but the question occupied my mind for a long time.

As far as I can introspect, I have always tried to work sincerely and honestly. I was not troubled by people who had vested
interests, as most of the time I could get my way through them. Having completed over thirty five years of service and reaching the age when one should acquire enough wisdom to look at life in its true perspective, I feel that life is like mathematics and the problems of life are similar to the problems of mathematics. If the fundamentals of life are understood, then life’s problems can also be faced easily. In that case, life becomes a pleasure and its difficult problems only add to the pleasure of living. In brief, I would say that life is a wonderful opportunity for elevation and it should not be wasted on mundane affairs only, just as the purpose of mathematics is not merely to pass the examination but to understand and apply its principles in life.

The purpose of life should be understood in its true sense and it should be taken as an opportunity for achieving its goal.
With that clarity in the mind, the difficulties attached to life become very small and add to the pleasure of living. Such people score high in the mathematics of life without much difficulty. In worldly terms, there may be more prosperous persons around them but when it comes to the examination of life, it is they who secure the highest marks. And all this happens effortlessly. Let us first accept the simile of life with mathematics and feel the urge to understand its fundamentals. Once we have the urge, we will find the way and help will come from unexpected sources. No doubt, a sustained effort is required on our part, but once the process of understanding is over, life becomes scoring as well as enjoyable, like the subject of mathematics. We can then easily aim to score cent per cent marks, no matter how difficult the paper is.

Philipp Budekin (22), nick named Philipp Lis (Fox), the ring leader of the notorious suicide game, ‘Blue Whale’, was punished recently by a Siberian Court, on charges of inciting young people to suicide. What that stirred my cool consciousness was his point of self-defence. He argued that he is clearing the world from biological wastes; he had a well thought purpose.
What is biological waste according to him? Is it a human being spending his time on Android? Could be. I think the Court also would have agreed to this argument to some extend. Otherwise he would have been imprisoned for all his life or sentenced to be killed, for he is alleged involvement in the death of more than a hundred preys so far, instead of the Russian equivalent of an open Jail which he got now and that too only for just three years.
Are we turning to biological wastes? This is one question which we have to ask ourselves now? If we look back to the favours we claim to be getting from this Android life, it could be something like a full time news updation or an every time entertainment world. It might be making us more social, more knowledgeable and more advanced.
But Budekin says that all these create biological wastes only!
Let us live great, just clearing ourselves from being biological wastes anymore, enslaved to Zuckerbergs and Steve Jobs.
There are many thousands of people who don’t have a Facebook account. They are smarter, no doubt at all! Keeping all these at its own time and place is something which we all can successfully do.

Friends play a most important part in most people’s lives. Friends might come and go in your life, they might make you laugh and cry, but most of all, they love you for who you are. It does not matter what a person looks like or what kind of clothes he wears, but its what’s on the inside that counts. A true friend will be there no matter what your situation is. Many of your favourite memories are likely to include times you have spent with friends.Be there for your friends when they need you, not when you need something from them. Good friends do not call up people only to request a favour. Don’t wait for friends to call you. Make an effort to keep in touch with them. Everyone is busy, but if you want to maintain good friendships, you should be proactive about communications and respond to them in a timely manner. Never be part of the gossip train. If you talk about your friends negatively behind their back, it is one of the worst things you can do. Be happy at your friends' successes and celebrate with them. Always be gracious and supportive and go out of your way to help your friend. It is truly said – “A friend in need is a friend indeed”. A simple gesture such as a hug or a smile can show your friends that they are not alone and that you are there for them.A good friend is someone you can trust and who won’t judge you, someone who won’t put you down or deliberately hurt your feelings, but will show kindness and respect, someone whose company you enjoy and whose loyalty you can depend upon.A friend will laugh when you laugh, cry when you cry and stick around when things get rough. They will make you smile and accept you for who you are and just lend you an ear when you need to confide or complain. Caring and sharing is what true friendship is all about. Being a good friend and having a group of close friends surrounding you can surely increase your happiness.

Many years ago, native Indian youths would go away in solitude on what is called a vision quest to prepare for manhood. One such youth hiked into a beautiful valley, green with trees and bright with flowers. There he fasted and prayed. But on the third day, as he looked up at the mountains, he noticed one tall rugged peak, capped with dazzling snow.

“I will test myself against that mountain,” he said to himself. He put on his buckskin shirt, threw his blanket over his shoulders and set off to climb the peak. When he reached the top, he gazed out from the rim of the world. He could see forever and his heart swelled with pride. Then he heard a rustle of leaves at his feet, and looking down, he saw a slithering snake. Before he could move, the snake spoke.

“I am about to die,” whispered the snake. “It is too cold for me up here; I’m freezing. There is no food and I am starving. Put me under your shirt where I will be warm and take me down to the valley.”

“No way,” said the youth. “I’m forewarned. I know your kind. You are a rattlesnake. If I pick you up, you will bite, and your bite will kill me.”

“No, not so,” said the snake. “I will treat you differently. If you do this for me, you will be special to me, and I will not harm you.”

The youth resisted a while, but this was a very persuasive snake with beautiful diamond markings. At last the youth tucked the snake under his buckskin shirt and carried it down to the valley. There he placed it gently on the grass. Suddenly the snake coiled, rattled and struck, biting the youth on the leg.

“But you promised….” Cried the youth.

“You were forewarned, you said, and you knew what I was when you picked me up,” said the snake and slithered away.

Forewarned should be forearmed. But the youth eventually succumbed to the persuasion and the beauty of the snake. When he picked up the snake, he must have said to himself, “may be other snakes, but not this one. I should know better.” That is exactly what happens to us when we succumb too. “I know better.”

I served as Managing Director of the UP Handloom Corporation during the year 1987-88. At that time, this job was considered to be important as well as glamorous. The turnover of the organisation was almost one hundred crores and it had a large number of showrooms all over the country. It was quite a challenging and interesting job to run them efficiently. Every year, a good number of showrooms were renovated and it involved a huge expenditure. One of the expensive items in the renovation was the ‘False Ceiling’. This term always amused me and I often wondered why such a beautiful piece of work was called ‘False’.

Once I inspected a showroom during its renovation when the work on the false ceiling was in progress. I could, therefore, see the inside of the false ceiling and I found it in bad shape. The wiring, pipe-fittings, ducting, etc., were done badly, probably in the knowledge that they would not be visible after the false ceiling was fitted. The quality of wiring was also poor, which I learned, was done deliberately in order to increase the frequency of repairs. While I took the necessary steps to correct the situation in the process, I also understood the significance of the word ‘false’.

Subsequently, I held many important posts which took me around the country and abroad frequently. I like meeting people and have had an interaction with a large cross-section with widely varying backgrounds. I can modestly claim that I have been able to understand human nature to a great extent and do not get upset easily when someone hurts me or behaves in an unexpected manner. I have found a large number of people who are apparently very well-behaved and project themselves as our
well-wishers, while the reality is different. Initially, such a situation used to upset me, but now it is no more so.
The incident about the false ceiling also helped me greatly to understand this aspect of human nature. Most people try to hide their faults with false behaviour and a disguised appearance. The reality is known only when we see them closely. Unfortunately, in today’s fast world, such opportunities are rare and whenever one tries to do so, the result is a clash or conflict. The only option, therefore, is to watch oneself closely and remove those faults, which we dislike in others.

There is a need to behave well and decently, a desirable quality of a good human being. Good behaviour becomes undesirable only when it is false, but sincerity and genuine goodness will reap rich dividends not only for oneself but for others too.
Unfortunately, most of us feel that it is more important to appear nice than to be really nice. It may be true for a short while but it is not so when life is seen in totality. Sooner or later, the false appearance and poor contents inside are exposed and there is no option left but to discard the object in totality. Someone has rightly said, ‘It is good to be important but it is more important to be good’. If we believe in this, there would be no need for any
‘False Ceiling.

Because of profession as a teacher and motivator, I keep talking to many people. One common thing I am noticing off late is that many people today have very shaky perception about the so called religious practices. A system of belief that was developed and nurtured for centuries is undergoing a replacement phase. Bombardment of conflicting information on social media has made things quite different. Today we see so many contrasting things on a day to day basis that even experienced people are getting confused and start doubting the faiths they have been carrying since long.
Sample these statements:
“Oh Mom, Please stop cleaning your worship place every day. It is just another almirah only. Do you clean your almirah every day. “
“I am sure every Godman will lend in jail very soon.”
“I achieved success solely due to my efforts. Papa! It has nothing to do with the fasts you were keeping on every Tuesday.”
Please do not be mistaken of these statements as coming from my family, but surely they sound quite familiar in our circles. Today forwarding pictures of deities on whatsapp may have increased, but the fact is that very few people retain them. I know that religion doesn’t mean deities, worship and rituals, but the way it has been projected in past few years did mean an undue expectation of blindness in context of faith. So! Finally this jinx is getting broken and people are opening their eyes. Unfortunately, the new things modern generation sees after opening eyes is also dark and jittery. I think that people
who can show light need to arrive. People like Jesus, Mahavir, Buddha, Nanak, Gandhi etc. need to arrive again in different casts this time. The current concept of religion may end in this century. The new concept may not be based on the theory of assuming an unknown creator. Even the concept of creation has to be created again.